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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · object · race · safe · firm · chip · fall · season

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. object — an aim
  3. season — of the year
  4. firm — a company
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. net — after costs
  7. object — to protest
  8. firm — decided
  9. fall — to drop
  10. race — a contest
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. object — a thing
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chip — for betting
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fall — the season
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. net — in sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. race — the arms race
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com